Light Into Darkness

Ash threw the letter aside in disgust, then picked it up again, smoothing out the wrinkles, unable to let go of her even though she had wounded him so deeply. Snarling, he just barely managed to keep himself from crumpling the letter yet again as anger and hurt darkened his vision. Great, he'd soon be joining her in her dark world at this rate. Strange though, that at this moment it would occur to him just how much light had come into his life since she had literally flown into it.

As he prevented himself from trying to destroy his last link to Ann... Mama Aqua, he felt wetness on his hand. Looking down, he realized he hadn't lost all ties to her and sighing, allowed Aisa to crawl into his lap.

Why? Why couldn't she have trusted him? It wouldn't have mattered... he cut that thought off, before he could lie to himself again. It would have mattered, unfortunately. There was no way he could calmly accept everything she said about his brother, much less her accusations against his childhood hero. Still... he cut himself off again, unable to handle the fact that he loved her.

Q

I flew on, listening for a sign of Kurt or Janné. Continuing on, I soon found myself in familiar territory, and landed away from the noise of the street, behind a building, folding away my wings, ears, and height. I hadn't realized just how far I had flown in my pain-filled terror: over seventy miles now stood between me and Ash and the weeks we had shared.

As I walked out, I perceived just how much of myself I had left behind. Silently, I shelved it in a corner of my mind, determined not to think about Ash or anything pertaining to him. I was going home, that would have to be enough, and I was not going to allow the fact that I was going home alone to bother me.

While I dealt with myself, and argued with my reminiscent thoughts, I failed to hear a sound behind me, and was unprepared when Janné landed on my shoulder. As I turned under her weight, I felt Kurt's hand slip around my waist, steadying me and when my balance returned, he asked softly, "Are you ready to go home?"

Sighing as the compassion and sympathy in his voice registered, I laid my head against his shoulder and whispered, "Yes." His arm tightened slightly, before sliding around my waist in a firmer grip, and I felt my heart lighten because I wasn't going home quite as alone as I thought.

We popped into existence just inside the front door of the mansion. I felt slender arms flung around me, and I hugged Rogue. Looking up towards me, she said, "He's been waiting for you, Mama."

Taking her hand, I followed her up the stairs to the professor's office.

As I reached the doorway, I paused, hesitating. Shaking my head, I silently berated myself, and stepped through the door. I heard what sounded like a small explosion from the direction of the professor's desk, and strong arms wrapped around me tightly. I let myself go then, collapsing into my brother, weeping with the pain, loss, frustration and love of the past month and a half.

Finally, David and I parted. I turned to the professor, who had come up behind us, and bent down to hug him as well. He held my arms, preventing me from straightening, and searched my eyes. He made a small noise, and I knew he had noticed my sightless stare.

"Mama..." he began, but cut off as others came in the door. Ororo burst into tears, hugging me, before I was grabbed away by Scott, who kissed me before his mind caught up with his actions. It was quick enough that no one commented, and Jean crowded in behind him, along with my students, all of them thankful that Mama was finally home.

Q

A loud crash sounded from within the room, the eleventh in the past half-hour. Cautiously, Sabertooth poked his head around the door. Spotting him, Ash lowered the glass he had been about to shatter, though he was tempted to send it zinging towards his brother's head. He let it slip into a box of broken shards, turning to face his brother's intrusive presence.

"I understand you had a run-in with her." Sabertooth stated, taking in the shambles around him. The bed she had slept in and the few things Ash had given her remained untouched, but the rest of the room was trashed, some of the items half gone, with bits and pieces of them flung across the floor; undeniable testament to his brother's inability to think clearly or fully control his powers where this girl was concerned. His temper had definitely got the better of him here.

Ash nodded silently, afraid to say too much for fear of losing his temper and letting loose his barely controlled rage again. Now, he thought, it's time for some answers. I have to know if Mama Aqua was right, or just vindictive. He watched his brother's reaction closely as he asked him, "Where is she?"

Chuckling through a snarl, Sabertooth replied sarcastically as his attention was drawn back to his brother. "Where do you think? She ran crying back to her weak little friends. Good riddance, I'd say, except he wants her back."

Ash paused in his clean up of the glass, head turning to study his brother dispassionately. "He wants her back?" The hand hidden at his side fisted itself around a particularly large shard, as he silently begged his brother not to give him the answer he was expecting.

He was disappointed. "Yep, Magneto wants to teach the brat a lesson. Make her understand her real place in this world; or those were his words, at least." Sabertooth grinned, running a clawed hand through his hair.

Ash stood, the glass fragment still fisted in his right hand. "Teach the brat a lesson?" His voice came out cold and flat; he was surprised it sounded so neutral when he was filled with so much rage. Oblivious to his brother's rising anger, Sabertooth grinned again, nodding happily. "Uh huh, and I hope I'm the one who gets to teach her." His grin turned cold, its arctic chill clashing with the growing fires of Ash's hatred.

Ash snapped, swinging the glass towards his brother. "Mine," he snarled at Sabertooth, who dodged easily, shock overwriting his features. "Mine," he snarled again, "and it will stay that way."

Sabertooth dodged again, his shock replaced with anger, scorn, and a barely perceptible suggestion of fear. "Magneto gave her to me, little brother. She's an X-Man. Don't you get it? She deserves everything Magneto's done and will do to her."

"Oh, I get it alright." Ash's hand slammed into Sabertooth's neck, just behind his ear at the base of his skull, stunning him. He slumped against the wall, dizzied, and through the ringing in his ears, heard his brother say, "You tortured a child for the sake of twisted, sadistic old man, who wants to play God and get revenge for the sins of humanity."

Ash walked out -Aisa at his heels- dismissing everything he had thought he believed in for a new belief in love. He exited the warehouse compound, weaving through the alleys. He paused for a moment as a thought hit him. Had he truly believed, or had he simply accepted the things his parents and brother told him as truth without ever really questioning them? He nodded to himself, acknowledging his failures, then crouched down to Aisa. Ruffling his hand along her ears, he whispered, "Find her."

With a joyful, huffing bark, Aisa took off on the hunt, Ash at her heels, searching for the woman who had brought light into their darkness.